Report: Contact made with Mike Alden about Clemson job

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- University of Missouri athletic director Mike Alden has been contacted about the athletic directorship at Clemson, The Kansas City Star reported Tuesday.

The newspaper said a source it did not identify said the contact was not from Clemson but made on its behalf by the Maryland athletic director and the commissioner of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

The Star reported that the source, described as being familiar with Clemson's search, also said the president of Clemson had contacted Richard Wallace, chancellor of Missouri's Columbia campus, to inform him of his school's interest in Alden.

Clemson officials declined to comment.

Alden would not confirm the report that he had been contacted but said he has not talked to Clemson officials and didn't know whether he would interview with the South Carolina school if asked.

"We've got a lot more to do here at Mizzou," said Alden, who in the last year spearheaded a push that convinced state legislators to approve future issuance of revenue bonds to help build a new basketball arena at Missouri.

Alden has been at Missouri for just over three years, during which he brought in Quin Snyder to replace longtime basketball coach Norm Stewart and fired football coach Larry Smith, bringing in Gary Pinkel, who was 4-7 in his first season.

"I don't know if I'm ready to consider things like that," Alden said about leaving Missouri. "I want to see that arena built. I want to see Quin win more games. I want to see Gary Pinkel turn around our football program."